Siempre en Domingo

Siempre en Domingo
Also known asAlways on Sunday
Created byRaúl Velasco
Presented byRaúl Velasco
Country of originMexico
No. of seasons28
No. of episodes1,480
Production
Running timeApproximately 3–5 hours
Production companyTelevisa
Original release
NetworkEl Canal de las Estrellas
ReleaseDecember 14, 1969 (1969-12-14) –
April 19, 1998 (1998-04-19)

Siempre en Domingo (English translation: Always on Sunday) was a highly influential Mexican television variety show created, produced, and hosted by Raúl Velasco.[1] The program aired weekly on Televisa's flagship network, El Canal de las Estrellas, from 14 December 1969 until 19 April 1998, concluding its run upon Velasco's retirement due to health complications.[2]

Spanning nearly three decades and averaging between three to five hours of live airtime every weekend, Siempre en Domingo became one of the most commercially important, widely distributed, and influential television programs in the history of Latin America.[3] It functioned as the definitive gateway for Hispanic musical talent, establishing a virtual monopoly on the promotion of Latin pop music and international recording artists across Spanish-speaking markets worldwide.[3][4]

Cultural impact and format

The show's structural format combined live musical performances, comedy sketches, regional folklore displays, and interviews with contemporary public figures.[1] Velasco developed a legendary reputation as an industry "kingmaker"; an appearance on his stage was considered mandatory for any musical act seeking commercial success in Latin America or the United States Billboard Latin charts.[3] A centerpiece of the show's lore was Velasco's trademark ritual, the "patada de la suerte" (lucky kick), a physical gesture bestowed upon debuting artists to symbolically sponsor their career breakthrough.[4] Legendary figures such as Luis Miguel, Selena, Ricky Martin, Thalía, Gloria Trevi, and Julio Iglesias saw their commercial careers launched or significantly accelerated by their recurring visibility on the program.[3][5]

In addition to launching regional Spanish-language talent, Siempre en Domingo routinely broke linguistic barriers by hosting prominent English-speaking global acts, adapting its stage for visits from international stars such as The Bee Gees, ABBA, Donna Summer, Tina Turner, and Gloria Gaynor.[4][5] At its commercial peak, the program achieved estimated weekly viewership metrics exceeding 350 million individuals across North, Central, and South America, as well as parts of Europe via syndication networks, making it a foundational pillar of late-20th-century Hispanic pop culture.[2][3]

Notable artists

Artists who performed (many of which debuted) on the show include:

Notable non-Spanish-language acts

Cancellation

In 1998, Velasco was diagnosed with hepatitis C and needed a liver transplant. His health was becoming critical and was unable to continue hosting the show. Siempre en Domingo aired its last episode on April 19, 1998.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Siempre en domingo : Infraestructura Cultural". Sistema de Información Cultural — Secretaría de Cultura (in Spanish). 15 January 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 Hevesi, Dennis (29 November 2006). "Raúl Velasco, 73, Host of Mexican Variety Show, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Gurza, Agustín (30 November 2006). "Velasco was the kingmaker of Latin pop". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "A 25 años del fin de 'Siempre en Domingo', el semillero musical de la televisión mexicana". La Crónica de Hoy (in Spanish). 19 April 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Raúl Velasco: el polémico presentador que marcó el rumbo de la música latina". Univision (in Spanish). 26 November 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
  6. ↑ Raúl Velasco con sus tres décadas al aire en 'Siempre en Domingo', es el responsable de la fama de un sinnúmero de estrellas Archived 2012-10-27 at the Wayback Machine
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